Hindutva is not synonymous with any religion or community but with nationalism, he told reporters before embarking on a visit to Ayodhya to campaign for the upcoming local body elections.

"Hindutvaand development are complementary to each other... Those who are opposing Hindutva are in fact opposing development and Bhartiyata," Mr Adityanath said.

Asked about opposition parties linking his speeches and work to Hindutva and not development, he said, "It is ridiculous that the forces which have encouraged dynastic politics and casteism in the name of secularism and indulged in corruption are talking like this."

On reports about former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav's move to install a grand statue of Lord Krishna in Etawah, he said the SP chief also "wants to install a statue of Duryodhan (the chief antagonist of Mahabharata) and this shows where he wants to take the state".

"They are not able to get rid of their sanskar and have said they will install a statue of Duryodhan," he said.

Mr Adityanath said there is no doubt that the BJP will form government in 2019 and "it will perform well in the urban local bodies elections too".

Asked if he will celebrate Holi in Mathura, the chief minister said: "Why not."

"It will be an honour for us if the places identified with festivals are restored to their traditional grandeur," he said.